Friday Fight 8 - The 80/20: Potential or Problems?

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help me fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF8.

Today we are going to learn about the degree of the lens through which we see others.

The 80/20: Potential or Problems?

We are all children of God, and He loves all of us deeply. Everyone has varying degrees of problems, issues, faults, or like a friend of mine always says, jacked-up, or functionally jacked up. None of us are perfect but we all strive to leave those perfect imperfections in God’s hands for direction and healing. Think of a pie chart and refer this pie chart to those closest to you, a spouse, best friend, sibling, etc. Suppose out of 100%, we will probably adore 80% of a person and the other 20% annoy us, cause hurts, or even repeated irritation. This divisive tactic is used by darkness to slowly destroy relationships, getting us to focus on the 20% of another person. The enemy of our souls will do this slowly, so it is not as easily recognized. When we love others deeply, we see their potential, not their problems.

When we look at another person and focus on those things that are unfavorable, over time that 20% will grow. Eventually, the pie chart of potential that we love begins to shift and we now have 70/30 and so on. It will spread like poison. When we constantly focus on the 20% that needs work but do not encourage, we are devaluing the other person. It is especially damaging when we ask another person to look at that 20% of an individual and consistently talk about it. God does not like this!

The great part about this Friday Fight is how easily we can shift the lens through which we see others. Focus on the 80% and encourage and pray for the 20%, over time this area will decrease. I have found whenever I consistently ask God to change those things, I do not care for in someone else, I am the one whose heart He changes. Try not to expect things from others until you inspect yourself. Focus on the 80% and pray for and encourage the 20% and watch God move!

Pastor Shannon
New Life Church
Matthew 5:16